Feeding mechanism



Jan, 18, 1927.; 1,615,137

F. J. RUBY FEEDING MECHANISM Filed April 18. 1924 emu! Jan.18, 1921.

'uuirsn STAT-Es PATENT arm-E.

rm: JOHN non, or CHICAGO, rumors, 'assienon 'ro morale ooxrm,moonrom'ran, or NEW YORK, n. 2., ii comiwnon or saw ou irnnnmo nncmisn;

ay i catioame i rii is, :34. Serial ii. 701,542.

This invention relates to improvements in feeding mechanisms, and moreparticularly to amechanisn for properly seating articles and forejecting improperly seate 6 articles. j

An object of this invention is to provide an improved feeding mechanismfor properly seating therein 'articles such as "top heavy screws and thelike.

10 Another object of this invention is to an improperly seated articlewithout 'ficting the adjacent properly seated arti- Other objects andadvantages will more fully appear from the following detaileddescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings whichillustrate one embodiment thereof.

Inthedrawings,

Fig. 1 is a fra entary plan view of a mechanism embo ying the featuresof the icililyention applied to a screw slotting ma- Fi 2 is afragmentary front elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of'the slide-way, and

Fig.4 is a front view artly in section of the structure shown in ig. 3.

Referrin -now to the in which h e reference numerals designate similarparts throughout the several views, 10 denotes generally a frame towhich is 5 suitably secured a hopper 11 and an associated slide-way 12.Located in the hopper 12 is. a lift 13 which is adapted to bereciprocated in an arcuate path by'a system of levers 14 operated by anysuitable means (not shown). The upper end of the lift 13 is providedwith a groove 15 for picking up headed blanks 16 in the hopper 11, andin operation when the lift 13 is at thepeak of its upward stroke thegroove 15 is in alignment with a groove 17 in the slide-way 12.

Positioned immediately over the upper extremit of the groove 17 of theslideway 12 an over a part of the groove 15, when the lift 13 is at theend of its upward stroke,

is an endless belt 18 having an outer surface of bristles 19 suitablysecured thereto, the bristles 19 bein in engagement with the heads ofthe heade blanks 16. The belt 18 is carried by two pulleys 20 and 21 andis ro-' vide in a feeding mechanism means for ej ectdriven in thedirection "maimed by the m e row by a pulley 50, operated by anysuitable means (not shown), both the pulleys 50 and 20 being splined toa shaft 22 which is rotatabl supported by two brackets 23 and 24 whichare secured res ctively to the sides of the slide-way 12. 15 1: pulle 21is keyed to a shaft 25 which is rotatab y suported inopposite sides ofthe hopper 11 y bearin 26 and 27.

Secure to the shaft 22 adjacent the bracket 24 is a bevel gear 28 whichmeshes with and drives a similar bevel gear 29 secured to a shaft 30rotatably supported by brackets 31 and 32,'which are suitably secured tothe sides of the slide-way 12. Positioned between the brackets 31 and 32and secured to the shaft 30 is an ejector or kick-out Wheel 33 of usualconstruction, which is adapted to rotate at right angles to the groove17 in the slide-wa 12. The teeth [6 of the kick-out wheel 33 c ear theheads of the blanks 16 which are pro erly seated but eject all impro rlseated lanks 16. Located to one .si e o the wheel 33 and on the frame 10is a receptacle 34 for receiving the ejected blanks 16. w

Positioned adjacent the lower extremity of the slide-way 12 is a claming or indexing disk 35, rotatablymounte on the frame drawings indetail' 10, which may be operated by any suitable means (not shown).This disk 35 is adapted to take up the hea ed blanks 16 as they leavethe groove 17 in the slide-way 12 and to carry them under a slotting saw36 which may also be operated by any suitable means not shown). Thesides of that portion of t e groove 17 under the belt 18 are providedwith a plurality of interference points 37 (Figs. 3 and 4) each having ashoulder 38 and a pluralitiyl' of clearance points 39 which cooperatewit the bristles 19 in properly seating the headed blanks 16. It will benoted that'the width of the groove 17 may be varied in order for it toaccommodate various size articles to be fed.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: 4

The blanks 16 within the hopper 11 are picked up in the groove 15 of thelift 13 and when the lift 13 reachesthe peak of its upward stroke, thegroove 15 being then in alignment with the cove 17, the headed blanks 16are brush into the groove 17 of previously ex lained.

The heade blanks 16 as they are propelled or brushed along in the groove17 by i the belt 18 assume various positions as denoted by referencecharacters and 11 (Figs. 3 and 4). k

The blank 16 in position 40 is shown lying on its side with its headdjacent one of the sides of the groove 17 and not in'its correctposition in the groove. The bristles 1,9 of the belt 18 move the saidblank 16 along from position 40 to position 42 in which the head of thesaid blank is in contact with the shoulder 38 of the interference point37. It

will be noted that the shank of the blank 16 shown in position 42extends into the space provided by the clearance point 39. The bristles19 come into contact with-the head of the blank. 16 in position 42, andthrough the medium of the clearance point 39, which allows the blank 16to escape from the point of interference, turn the blank 16 over intoits correct position 43. I

The blank 16 in position 41 is shown'lying on its side in an oppositeposition to the blank 16 shown at position 40. This blank 16 in beingpropelled along the groove 17 assumes a position similar to that assumedby the blank 16 shown in position 42, and then by the bristles 19 is inlike manner caused to turn over into its proper position 46. 7

As more fully described previously the shaft 22, carrying the pulleysand 20 also drives, through bevel gears 28 and 29, the kick-out wheel53. Should any'of the blanks 16 be jammed or improperly seated afterthey pass from under the bristles 19 they are ejected by the kick-outwheel or ejector 33:

and. fall into the receptacle 31 from which they may be removed fromtime to time and placed into the hopper 11.

The blanks 16 are constantly being propelled downward in the groove 17of the slide-way 12 by' the bristles 19 and upon their reaching thelower extremity of the slide-way 12, they are carried around by the disk35 under the saw 36 which slots their heads, and are then ejected intoany suitable receptacle (not shown).

It is readily apparent from the above description that not only are theblanks 16 propelled forward much faster, but that the 'seaglng of theblanks 16 is greatly accelerate Furthermore, byarranging the kick-outwheel or ejector 33 at right angles to the groove 17in the slide-way 12only the improperly steated blanks are ejected thereby increasing theefiiciency of the feeding mechanism.

What is claimed is 1. In a feeding mechanism, a slide-way slot with ashoul er and an opposite associated arcuate slot.

a 2. In a feeding mechanism, a slide-way provided with'a groove havingpoints of interference and corresponding opposite points of clearance,the points of interference adapted to engage the heads of improperlyseated articles as they move along, and through the associated points ofclearance, to cause them to be turned over into their proper position. 4

3. In a feeding mechanism, a slide-way provided with a groove having apoint of interference which is adapted to engage and retard improperlyseated articles and an associated point of clearance comprising anenlargement in the groove which is adapted to permit the article toescape from the point of interference to be properly seated.

4. In a feeding mechanism, a slide-way provided with a groove havingdiagonal slots, each provided with a shoulder and opposite associatedarcuate slots, the shoulder of the diagonal slots being adapted toengage the heads of improperly seated articles as they move along, andthrough the clearance afforded by'the arcuate slots to permit them to beturned over into their correct positions.

5. In a feeding mechanism, a slide-way and a rotatable brush positionedimmediately over said slide-way and adapted to cooperate with theslide-way in properly seatin articles, the slide-way being provided wita groove in which the articles are propelled by the brush, the saidgroove having a point of interference which is adapted to inter-.provided with a roove having a diagonal cept improperly seatedarticles, and an associated point of clearance comprising an enlargementin the groove which is adapted to permit the article to escape from thepoint of interference to be seated by the 00- operating brush.

6. In a feeding mechanism, a slide-way provided with a groove having aplurality of points of interference and points of clearance, a rotatablebrush located immediately thereov'er adapted to cooperate with thepoints of interference and clearance in the seating of articles withinthe said groove, and means for ejecting any articles not properly seatedthereby.

7. In a feeding mechanism, a hopper for holding small articles, aslide-way associated therewith, a lift reciprocable in an arcuate pathwithin the hopper and adapted to bring articles into alignment with theslideway, a groove in said slide-way provided with a plurality of pointsof interference and clearance, a rotatable brush adapted to coo cratewith the points of interference an clearance in the groove in properlyseating the articles and also adapted to propel them downthe saidslide-way and a kick-out wheel 'for eject any of the articles notimproperng seated articles as they move properly seated ereby. along,through the associated points of 8. In a feeding mechanism, a slide-wayelearance, to permit them to be turned over provided with a ve having aplurality into their proper Position, and means for I of points of inteerence and pomtsof cleare'ecting any artic es not properly seated 15ance, means associated with the slide-way t ereby. and coo rating withthe points of interfer- In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe enceans clearance in the seatin of articles my name this 5th day of April A.D., 1924. within the said groove, the said points of N interferenceadapted to engage the heads of FRANK JOHN RUBY.

